Exhaust turbochargers are used to pressure-charge large internal combustion engines. These drive marine shipping or large emergency generating equipment.
In order to service the exhaust turbocharger at intervals of several thousand working hours, the rotating parts must be removed from the housing. To do this in the case of conventional exhaust turbochargers, the multi-part housings must be removed and then the rotor must be lifted out of the housing in an axial direction by means of a crane. More specifically, the general practice for the disassembly of an exhaust turbocharger is to remove the compressor housing in order to be able to attach a boom of the crane above the center of gravity of the rotor block.
In addition to the rotating parts of the shaft and of the turbine and compressor wheels connected to the shaft, the rotor block of an exhaust turbocharger also comprises the bearing parts, i.e. axial and radial bearings and internal bearing housing parts. This rotor block is also referred to as a cartridge. In the case of servicing, there is the possibility of completely replacing a cartridge of an exhaust turbocharger. This reduces the downtime of the exhaust turbocharger and hence of the internal combustion engine pressure-charged by means of the exhaust turbocharger. The effort required for the removal and reinsertion of the cartridge can be further reduced if the number of housing parts that has to be removed is a small as possible. It would be desirable, for example, not to have to remove the outer compressor housing, which is firmly integrated into the pipe system of the internal combustion engine by means of its large air outlet branch, and the entire turbine housing during the servicing work. Thus, it would only be necessary to remove the inner compressor housing, situated on the inlet side, in order to be able to pull the rotor block through the axial opening thereby exposed out of the compressor housing and the bearing housing and the gas outlet housing situated behind.
Various devices and methods for pulling and/or inserting rotors, rotor blocks or bearing components out of a housing are described in the prior art.
EP2610439A1, for example, discloses an apparatus for disassembling a turbine bearing or a segment thereof in a stationary turbomachine having a housing which can be divided in two. This apparatus comprises means for supporting the rotor to relieve the weight of the bearing parts to be removed. The apparatus furthermore comprises rail-type supports, along which the bearing parts to be removed can be moved.
JP10-220399 discloses an apparatus for disassembling a rotor of a pump, in which extension pieces are mounted on the shaft stubs, which extension pieces are mounted movably on a support and with the aid of which the rotor can be pushed out of the housing to enable it then to be lifted by a crane.
US2011/0052426A1 discloses an apparatus for disassembling a rotor of a large compressor, which comprises a bilateral support for the rotor, wherein extension elements are provided on the rear side of the rotor in order to ensure support while the rotor is being pushed out of the housing. The apparatus furthermore comprises rail elements, along which the rotor to be removed can be moved.